Album Notes

Endorsed by Tom Roy, President, Unlimited Potential Ministries www.upi.org

You Brought Me Into Your Heart - Gospel Song of the Year!2005 Songwriters of Wisconsin

I Have Something to Tell You - 2nd place, Gospel Category, 2005 Songwriters of Wisconsin

Plowman and Good Rain Comin' Today - Award Winners -
2005 Songwriters of Wisconsin

This CD is a culmination of a variety of styles ranging from Southern Gospel (Count on My Amazing Grace), to Irish-Rock-fusion (Plowman) to symphonic and operatic (I have something to tell you). Many of these songs were written over several decades, and it has taken me some time to find the right theme to tie them all together. I discovered the right metaphor in 2004. After 30 years of walking a challenging, frustrating and often fulfilling spiritual path, one thing kept coming back to me: Every step of the way is another step closer to meeting God face-to-face, and no matter how hard the path may be, I am confident that each day is another step "Farther Up the Mountain." Its about a phrase a friend told me once when we were climbing in the Rockies: "Just keep pickin' 'em up and puttin' 'em down." That's a great analogy for life with God; its a hard thing, but there is a great end in sight. In this oh so troubled world, people are looking for real hope. Knowing the ultimate destination of my life path gives me inspiration to climb every day...

A lyric from the title song expresses it best:

Walkin' along, on the mountain of God is a challenge beyond
Sometimes it feels I'm goin' nowhere.
But then I catch a glimpse of that infinite horizon, yeah.
And each step is movin' up there.

I'm grateful also to have my daughter performing on this CD. Anna has a remarkable voice, and its interesting to note that she plays multiple instruments and writes her own music. I'm confident she'll be selling her stuff on CDBABY someday...

In addition, my daughter-in-law, Windy Hope, has this breathy, ethereal voice that cuts very deeply... she knows how to feel the music and share her soul with others...

Spiritual life is about taking the long view... its about the struggles God puts in our path and the dramatic outpouring of His care and love toward his people... its about another step Farther Up the Mountain... "and at the top I'll see a great Eternal Dawn..."